1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an output control method of analyzing output information from the outside, thereby controlling the output for forming a visible image, and an apparatus adapted for executing such method.
2. Related Background Art
In the conventional image forming apparatus provided with an operation panel, a display etc., in case of a state change in the apparatus to be informed to the user, such as a failure, an error message or a number is displayed on the display frame according to the type of such failure. Also in case of a failure in an apparatus in which the operation panel or the display is simplified, the status of the apparatus is approximately indicated by lighting or flickering of an LED or the like. Otherwise, the status of the apparatus is detailedly represented by transmission of information to a connected external equipment through a bidirectional interface.
In such conventional configurations, however, the apparatus equipped with the operation panel or the display device allows the user to confirm the error message or the error number in case of a failure, but the user is unable to confirm the history of such failures in the past when the apparatus is re-started since such information is not stored. Also, an apparatus with a simplified operation panel or display device is incapable of displaying the error message, and can only use limited devices such as a LED for indicating the status of the apparatus, so that the user cannot easily obtain detailed information in case of a failure of the apparatus. Also in the configuration of transmitting detailed information to the connected external equipment through the bidirectional interface, the detailed information of the failure may still be unavailable for example if the information cannot be transmitted to the outside for some reason or if the external equipment cannot receive the information because of a failure therein. Also, the content of the past failure cannot be confirmed when the apparatus is re-started because such failure information is not stored as in an apparatus provided with the operation panel and the display device.